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Friday, May 30, 2014

Mixed Media Artist
Will this be the summer that you add altered books and handmade journals to your repertoire?

Beachy Souvenir Copper Coin Earrings
These drop earrings were made using souvenir pressed coins from Busch Gardens and Sea World in San Diego. Pressing them through the machine is fun, but then you get home and wonder, "What am I ever going to do with these?" Here's one solution!

Monday, May 26, 2014

I've been wanting to play around with shibori ribbon for quite some time now! I got waylaid by soutache braid for a few projects, but it didn't really satisfy my deepest urges. Shibori now...that's a different story. I've actually experimented with creating some shibori fabric myself for a quilt, but the beautiful shibori ribbons that I bought are a far cry from my fabric, which was coarse muslin, not silk. Still, it gave me an appreciation for the process.

So, for my Bead Journalpiece for May, I used shibori ribbon stitched to interface-backed fabric as the foundation for a cuff bracelet. It is backed with an ultra-suede type fabric. I didn't end up with any of the fabric foundation showing, so that might have been kind of a waste, but it did help me to settle on colors.

I did end up using a few of the bead-weaving stitches that I've adapted for bead embroidery (see Bored By Back Stitch), but mostly I used regular back stitch and stack stitch for this piece. A friend has suggested it be called Tidal Pools, and that seems appropriate to me with the pearls and the ocean jasper focal!

Copyright 2014 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Extremely inspiring is the phrase that came to me over and over again as I read through Diane Hyde's new book Break the Rules Bead Embroidery, published by Lark Books. Diane will take you to visit some very interesting new places as you consider how to combine your beloved bead embroidery with stringing and bead weaving.

Frankly, some of the projects have only the teeniest bit of actual embroidery in them, and that may end up disappointing you if you're looking for another book on large-scale embroidery design. But if you're looking for innovative design, I don't see how you could lose with this book.

There are five groups of projects, based upon where the inspiration may be found: household notions, craft stores, hardware, toy box, and antique treasures. The techniques section pays particular attention to cutting and drilling different materials, which is very helpful for future projects.

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!

Would you like to win a copy of this book? Here's what you need to do...please read this carefully. Leave me a comment here and include your email address. If I don't see your email address, I won't be able to contact you. No contact, no win, and I simply have to go on to the next person. You are welcome to spell it out if you'd prefer, for example, cyndi at mazeltovjewelry dot com. If you tweet or post on Facebook or other social spots about the contest, you can leave a second comment and be entered twice! Deadline: May 28, 2014

Monday, May 19, 2014

I made this bracelet years ago, and only realized recently that I never told you how it was done! Since it's now officially spring in New England, it seems like as good a time as any to share it. I don't have any in-progress shots, but it's so easy, I think we'll get by this time without them.

1. Find some buttons that you want to use together on your bracelet. I chose two silly little flowers, two vintage bling-bling buttons, and three button blanks that I could dress up. You can find these blanks at any fabric store and most craft stores.

2. Choose fabric that matches your theme. My theme was happy silly bling...can you tell? Cover the buttons according to the package directions.

3. Using thin craft wire, two-part resin, or both, attach your buttons to the platforms on the bracelet. I used wire since my buttons were all shank style, but then I also added a drop or two of epoxy for extra security.

Copyright 2014 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

I like to be able to share reliable suppliers with you from time to time. If I haven't personally checked them out, then someone I know and trust has. Believe me, I've checked out most of them...that's how bad my fiber addiction has become! I'll be adding this list to the Suppliers link that is always available up in the tabs at the top of the page, so you don't need to bookmark it.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Do you see a pattern forming? :-) After last week's pink pendant, I decided to go ahead and show you another of my "trial run" pieces. It's fun to practice on smaller works!

1. I bezeled an oval-shaped bead, using a classic peyote bezel style. See the tiny black beads at each end? They are size 15/0 seed beads instead of size 11/0 seed beads so that it will pinch in on the ends. Next I added an additional row of peyote and morphed it into RAW, which I continued for a couple of rounds. The last row is short stack stitches.

Copyright 2014 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

Thursday, May 08, 2014

Here is a list for you which will be updated as we go, of various Suppliers that I've found to be reliable and good to deal with. So that you don't have to bookmark it, you can always find this link in the tabs at the top of the page.

Wednesday, May 07, 2014

When I first came across Eva Sherman's designs, stumbling upon her blog, my first reaction was a gasp of pure lust. Well, lucky lucky me...and you too for that matter...because Eva is the coauthor of a new Kalmbach book called Organic Wire and Metal Jewelry, along with Beth Martin.

How can jewelry made from metal and wire be organic, you ask? There are two parts to the answer. First, the forms made with the metal and wire are very loose and organic in nature, and second, The designs feature sea glass, beautiful stones, and pearls. There are also some crystals thrown in for bling, but to my eye they are mostly secondary. It's the matte-finished glass and stones, along with the pearls that are the real stars.

The basics section of this book teaches an array of techniques that are a bit different from most other jewelry books. While you'll find the expected "Creating a wire-wrapped loop" and "Creating a flat spiral", you'll also learn how to drill glass and stones, set a grommet, coil wire, anneal, forge, texture, and stamp metal, how to rivet, braze copper, and ball up the ends of wire for head pins.

And then there are the project sections! Twelve beautiful beginner projects to help you test your new skills, and thirteen intermediate projects to let you really spread your wings. There's one of my favorites above, the Mermaid Tears Collar...isn't it beautiful?

Tuesday, May 06, 2014

Here is the second giveaway packet from the new product stash I received from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads last month! Aren't these cute?

Birdcage charmsRing blanks

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!

Would you like to win these bead strands? Here's what you need to do...please read this carefully. Leave me a comment here and include your email address. If I don't see your email address, I won't be able to contact you. No contact, no win, and I simply have to go on to the next person. You are welcome to spell it out if you'd prefer, for example, cyndi at mazeltovjewelry dot com. If you tweet or post on Facebook or other social spots about the contest, you can leave a second comment and be entered twice! Deadline: May 13, 2014

Monday, May 05, 2014

In the process of preparing to write the second chapter of Bored By Back Stitch, I made a LOT of these little pendants to try out my ideas. Since some of my favorite colors happen to coincide with Pantene's favorite color this year, I fell under the spell of Radiant Orchid!

1. This one started out with a bezeled flat rectangular bead. I added RAW to the top half and chevron stitch to the bottom.

2. All the holes were filled in with appropriately sized beads. The larger ones are 4 mm.

3. I added short stack stitches the whole way around.

4. Add backing fabric with edging brick stitch all around the outside and decorate with short stack stitches (Free instructions available). A square stitch bail finishes off the back.

Copyright 2014 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

Thursday, May 01, 2014

I showed you some new metal products available from ImpressArt called Alkeme, and now I'd like to share with you how easy they are to work with! The metal blanks have the look of silver, but are much less expensive and are softer (read easier) to work with when you're stamping. I gathered up the tools that I received from ImpressArt and went to work, with far greater immediate success than when I worked with copper.

1. Tape your Alkeme blank down to the steel block and use a pen to mark the edges of the tape to help you place the letters properly. I wanted mine a bit uneven vertically, but I also wanted good horizontal placement, so the tape really helped.

2. Use a wire brush on the blank if you want to rough it up a bit. I used black acrylic paint and wiped it deep into the indentations.

4. Two other Alkeme pieces ended up in my BJP necklace too: washer blanks that I textured with the ball peen hammer.

As regards FTC disclosure guidelines: I have received tools and materials free of charge from ImpressArt in order to write a review and/or create a project free of charge for you. I have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.

Copyright 2014 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

Come on a journey through a bead and jewelry wonderland, where no item is considered too strange to use in making something ... especially if that item has a hole in it! All types of beads are welcomed and cherished here, and no techniques are off-limits. You'll be amazed and inspired by the handmade beaded jewelry and the bead embroidery that is being made today!